I closed my eyes, not caring about the hundreds of people beneath us. The entire club was dark. The lights had been flashing over the dance floor, but I knew no one could see us from below. I leaned back, winding my arms up around his neck. My back arched, pushing my breasts forward. My dress had a low V-neck, so I knew he could see. I wanted him to see. I wanted him to touch, to caress. I wanted all of it.

“Addison,” he murmured into my ear.

I could hear his desire, and an almost drugged smile crossed my face. The security guards were gone from my mind. The feeling of sex that penetrated the club’s atmosphere had slipped past my walls, and I wanted what I’d wanted back in the room. I wanted Cole to kiss me.

I wanted more, as well, but until then… I turned around, my arms looping around his neck. I leaned back so I could see him. The club was now our backdrop.

The same primal want stared back at me. I touched the side of his face. “I’m going to go back to my life tomorrow.”

His eyes grew hooded.

“But this night, being here, this isn’t normal for me. I don’t do this kind of stuff. Thank you.”

He frowned. “For what?”

“For pulling me out of that life, at least for a bit.” For waking me up.

His hand gripped my hip, and he moved in, pressing against me. I felt him grind into me, and a drunk feeling coursed through me, though I’d had nothing to drink. He dropped his head down, brushing a kiss to my naked shoulder.

He murmured against my ear again, “It should be me thanking you. You have no idea.”

I stilled. His tone wasn’t normal. He wasn’t guarded, and he wasn’t teasing.

Then he said, with an eerie seriousness, “My life I can’t talk about, but this—you coming to me—is like a breath of oxygen. I can breathe again.” He dropped his mouth, lingering on my shoulder. “Something pure among so much tainted.”

I closed my eyes. I wasn’t going to ask what he meant. He wouldn’t tell me, but I reached back, took hold of the wall, and used it to push myself forward, even closer to him. I caused a small opening behind us, and Cole wound his arm around me, lifting me in the air.

I gazed down at him, half-laughing, my arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”

He grinned back, his eyes so dark and wanting as he turned me to sit on top of the bar in our box. I thanked goodness we had no bartender, and then Cole stepped between my legs. He touched my face again, tilting it as he came in. His lips pressed to mine, and right there, another tingle went down my spine. He was where he was supposed to be—with me, touching me, being with me.

I pulled him in, and I didn’t care who could see us. As he deepened our kiss, I let go of everything. There was only this moment. I was only with him. Tomorrow I would think about the future. Tomorrow I would think about Sia, about my life back in Chicago, but right now, for this moment, it was only Cole.

It was only Cole and the sensations he had unearthed inside of me.

We stayed in that box for half the night, just making out. And when we couldn’t hold back any longer, we went back to my hotel room.

Cole woke me early in the morning with more kisses and touches, but he had to leave around six. He had more business to attend to, and the plane was waiting for me when I woke again later.

On the flight home, I thought about the night. The entire thing had been like a daydream. I’d been transported into a different world—Cole’s world. I’d visited his life. Even for just a moment, and even if I didn’t know what life that was, it had been worth it. So worth it.

I refused to think of any price I might pay, and once I got home, I went back to life as normal. Or I tried. Cole remained in the back of my mind, but the first thing: my meeting with Jake’s law firm.

It went well. I gave them the paperwork they needed, and that was enough. They said they’d be surprised if Liam’s parents proceeded any further, especially since it was a “bullshit suit.” Those were Jake’s and his colleague’s words.

I never told Sia that I’d left town for a night, but she must’ve noticed I was acting differently. She asked if everything was fine, and instead of believing me when I said it was, she invited me to attend an event with her.

“The Gala is sponsoring the event, so I’m supposed to go, but I didn’t organize it so I don’t have a lot of work to do,” she explained. “I just need to talk to a few people—you know, network. But the event is going to be huge. It’s at the Haldorf, not the Gala. We’re just one of the sponsors. I’m sure a few celebrities will be there, and anyone influential in the city will be there. Do you want to come? You don’t have to. But I’m making Jake come, too.”

Maybe it was because I didn’t want to be alone. Maybe it was because Cole had woken me up, and now I was restless. Things had been gray before, but the world was in color now. I wanted things to be in bright lights, neon like the club. I didn’t want everything to be dimmed anymore. And maybe it was for that reason that I found myself agreeing to go.

Twenty-four hours later, I was back among beautiful people, crystal lights, and champagne. Lots and lots of champagne. Sia had said it would be bigger. She hadn’t lied. It was like one of her events, but on steroids, and multiplied by ten.

I wanted to die. Well, almost. Not quite. See? Progress. I was only experiencing a mild form of irritation and regret. I clutched my champagne glass tightly in front of me like it was a shield against anyone who tried to talk to me.